Ad-vo-cate: definition: n. (ad-vuh-kit): person who speaks or writes in support of a cause
v: (ad-vuh-kit): To speak or act or write in favor of, support, to recommend publicly a person or cause

CONTENTS

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Letter from the
Executive Director

Neystal Howard-Jones

New Year’s
New Resolution

“I will honor Christmas in my heart,
and try to keep it all the year.”
Charles Dickens
It’s the time of year when people
go above and beyond for others.
When we Deck the Halls and give
selflessly to strangers.

Ready to get 10 years back?

But what do we do after Santa has
come and gone and the wrapping
paper is thrown away?

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Board Spotlight

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Event Scrapbook

Make a New Year’s Resolution to keep giving to Brighter Tomorrows and
supporting survivors of domestic and sexual assault, all year long.

Staff Spotlight

Light Up the Holidays for
Victims of Domestic Violence

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Secretary
Tina Strand

From Girl Scouts
to Cindy Tamplin Tea

Case Manager
Larry Matthews

The Holidays Aren’t Over Yet: Want to Make a True Impact?

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Volunteer Spotlight
Lillian Rose-Foshee
hits the high notes

Before & After

Two incredible teams
go to work at the BT

Save the Date
Chocolate & Chic 2011

• Volunteering saves us time and money for necessary resources.
• For $25, you can provide meals for a mother and two children for
three days.
• For $40, you help us answer a day’s worth of crisis hotline calls.
• For $100, you shelter and mother and two her two children for
one night.
• For $200, you guarantee counseling sessions for former victims
of sexual abuse.
Want to learn more about getting involved? Call us at 972-263-0506.

The holidays should be a time for family and friends to share the joy and hope of the season. For those
experiencing abuse, however, December can also be a particularly stressful time. Reports from our local
Police Departments indicate that domestic violence incidents increase during the holiday season. Added
pressures of holiday expectations can worsen an already unhealthy situation. This year, help those living
with abuse to know that they’re never alone, especially during the holidays.
Please consider making a $25 donation to Brighter Tomorrows. A very small sacrifice for those in need.
Your thoughtfulness brings compassion, courage, and a connection to help. Your donation can give a
victim the gift of a new beginning and brighter New Year.
Thank you for all you do for victims, this season and every season. Happy Holidays from our Board of
Directors, Staff, Volunteers, and our most valuable asset; our clients.
Sincerely,
Neystal Howard-Jones
Executive Director

Becoming a Purpose-Filled Woman
Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault are not easy to understand if you have not been through--it’s hard
enough to understand when you have experienced the outbursts of anger, hate, and hurt from someone
you at one time thought loved you. While 1 in 4 women will experience domestic violence in their
lifetime (and 1 in 6 men), it is still something society largely fails to present properly. It has a trickle-down
effect that is multigenerational. It leaves emotional scars that sometimes fail to heal long after the real
ones have gone away.
What does a woman feel when she has been affected by domestic violence or sexual assault? Kim
Hekmatyar, Brighter Tomorrows’ Sexual Assault Coordinator, gives us insight into such a mind trying to
relieve the emotional burdens of abuse through the therapeutic collaging of a client. This collage shoes
pain and hurt (affair, Get 10 Years Back, Outrage), but it also shows hopes (Becoming a Purpose-Filled
Woman, No Pieces Left Behind). Our client is making strides by continuing to live. We make strides for
her and others by not being silent. Our client has put her past and future into this collage.
YOU can help give it a voice.

You desire to know the art of living, my friend? It is contained in one phrase:
Make use of suffering. Henri-Frederic Amiel

“Are we to paint what’s on the face, what’s inside the face, or what’s behind it?” Pablo Picasso

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Board Member

&

SECRETARY

Tina Strand

My name is Tina Strand, and I own S&S Signs & Specialties in Desoto, Texas.

My
husband and I opened our business 6 weeks before the events of 9/11 happened in
2001. As the economy started tanking, we got involved in the community and Chamber
of Commerce. We went to every networking event available to keep our business afloat.
As a result of this, I was in the Leadership Southwest Class of 2003. One of my classmates was the founder of Brighter Tomorrows, Jana Barker. We became friends, and I
have been a committed advocate of the agency ever since.

She has dreams of someone killing her but wakes up before she sees his face.
She knows it is her husband.

I know several women who have been abused and continue to live in the abusive

environment—afraid to get out. I even have one friend who has told me if she ever dies
to have it investigated because it isn’t what it looks like. She has dreams of someone
killing her but wakes up before she sees his face. She knows it is her husband. That is
a fear I do not wish upon anyone. She does not have the strength or determination to
get out of the situation.

I support this cause on behalf of her and others. If we can help one person, then we’ve

accomplished something. My goal is to spread the word in our community, empower
women to not be victims of domestic abuse, and to help those that are in need through
prayer, service to the agency, and donations

Tina Strand

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E-V-E-N-T-S-R-A-P-B-O-O-K
Showing Community Support for Brighter Tomorrows

Crosswinds students presented a check in the amount of $700 to
Ms. Kim Hekmatyar, Sexual Assault Coordinator for Brighter Tomorrows.
Crosswinds High School’s homeroom classes competed against each other
to see who could raise the most money in four days for Brighter Tomorrows.
The incentive? To give back to the local community in a meaningful way, and
a pizza party for the winning homeroom.
Ms. Cindy Shipley’s (English 1/Arts) morning homeroom and Ms. Kristina
Sanders’ (English IV/Comm.) afternoon homeroom were named most
generous and awarded a pizza party.

The Special Ops Special Ladies
The nationally ranked Special Ops took
on the West Texas Travel Team in the
only women’s flat track roller derby in
Dallas, Texas, on October 23rd.
To show their appreciation for Brighter
Tomorrows, they donated $280.00 to
our shelters. Thanks, Special Ops!

Grand Prairie Girl Scout Troop 123
Brighter Tomorrows’ children won’t miss a
birthday just because they are staying in a
shelter. Fifteen wonderful girls from Grand
Prairie Girl Scout Troop 123, led by Carie
Williams, brought fifteen “birthday boxes” filled
with all the ingredients necessary to bake
birthday cake, decorations, and games for every
age group that may be in the shelter. Thank you,
Troop 123! Because of you, birthdays will be a
most special time for our youth.

Beautiful tablescapes: The Cindy Tamplin Tea
The 11th Annual Cindy Tamplin Tea Memorial was held at
the Inglewood Baptist Church on November 20, 2010. This
beautifully orchestrated event benefits Brighter Tomorrows
every year, in memory of Cindy Tamplin. This year,
the event raised over $7,000 for survivors of
domestic violence and sexual assault.

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B r i g h t e r T o m o r r o w s Staff
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December 4th marked my fourth year with Brighter Tomorrows, and

it has been a honor working for such great organization. This type
of work can be very rewarding, but not always is it a pleasurable
experience, and in that regard, comes as bittersweet. It never gets
any easier listening to or reading the troubling stories from abused
women and children. Nor is it easy seeing a person come into your
program with absolutely nothing (the bitter). On the other hand, it is
oh so sweet to help or see someone get a job who hasn’t worked in
13 years. Or have a client to save over $20,000 towards purchasing
their first home. Best of all, attending the graduation of the child that
grew up in such harsh environments (the sweet).

It is oh so sweet to help or see someone get a job who hasn’t worked in 13 years.
I come from a family that has always worked within the community. My father worked for the City of
Pine Bluff, Arkansas, for the Community Development Department for 17 years. My mother taught
Sunday school at our church for over 20 years and works at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
in the USDA Liaison Office, where she counsels and assists students with job placement. Lastly, my
sister works for the Student Advocate Involvement in the Leadership Center as a Program Coordinator
at Boise State University. As you can see, I come from a family of the community. As for myself, I really
got involved in the community in Spring of 1997 through my fraternity (The Gamma Sigma Chapter of
Kappa Alpha Psi, which my younger brother is also a member of.) That is where I helped develop and
implement a guide right program called “Kappa League”. In the program, we mentored young men
from local high schools who were underprivileged and helped them matriculate from poverty into
colleges and universities. The five phases of Kappa League where Self Identity, Training, Competition,
Social, and Health Education. Tools that I currently still use.
In a way, I think I was lead to Brighter Tomorrows. I believe in a simple creed: love of God and love
of neighbor. As a Case Manager for Brighter Tomorrows in the Transitional Housing Program, my job
entails managing client intakes, development of individual objective plans, performing systematic and
continuous follow-up regarding client progress, maintaining appropriate client documentation, and
providing practical referrals for services as needed. A typical day for me can consist of meeting with
clients for job search, making referrals, and following up on any calls to/from our program’s partnerships. I also may handle any client concerns and issues that may arise, ranging from addressing
apartment maintenance needs to personal needs, in addition to all other job tasks as defined in my
role responsibilities.

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Winter Wonder

Volunteering with Brighter Tomorrows
Why did you decide to get involved with Brighter Tomorrows?
I wanted to adopt a family for Christmas. I Googled battered women
shelters and found Brighter Tomorrows.
What do you like best about the agency?
First of all, the cause: They help families, kids, and people who can’t
help themselves at that time. The structure of the program is great,
you’re not just taking people in—you really are giving them a helping
hand rather than a hand out.
What keeps you committed to the cause?
Seeing the results of everyone working together. The kids are truly
happy at Christmas, and Chocolate & Chic raises money that is truly
beneficial to everyone who is a client of Brighter Tomorrows. This year, we are hoping for an even better turnout.
What has been your favorite moment with Brighter Tomorrows?
Chocolate & Chic 2010 was a blast. I am hoping the 2011 will be even better. I encourage everyone to get
involved. It is fulfilling and fun to see the fruits of our hard work.
Any lasting thoughts you would like to leave with our supporters?
Thanks for continuing to support this great organization. There are no limits on giving. Keep up the good work.

Thank you to everyone participating in adopt-a-family!
Irving Bible Church
Matthew Road Baptist
Church
Crosswinds High School

Special Thanks to

Cindy Tamplin Tea
Special Ops
Texas Instruments

Grand Prairie Girl Scouts
Troop 123
Indian Hills Baptist Church

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We appreciate the many contributions we receive from our supporters. This list
includes donations received from June 1st through September 30, 2010.

Allstate Foundation
AT&T United Way Employee Giving Campaign
Bank of America United Way
City of Grand Prairie
City of Irving
City of Irving Community Affairs
Combined Federal Campaign of North
Central Texas
County Treasurer of the County of Dallas
Desoto Christian Church
Desoto Elks Lodge # 2552
First Christian Church
Give with Liberty Employee Donation
Grand Prairie Professional Baseball, LP
GRC Wireless, Inc.
Hackberry Creek Church
Horace Mann
JP Morgan Chase & Co.
Kirkwood United Methodist Church
Lockheed Martin Vought Heritage

Walk in Their Shoes...
God bless the little children. It’s a phrase we all can recall,
and yet, why is it our youth so often get neglected?
Payless Gives Shoes 4 Kids program recalls such a
saying, and in return have donated 100 vouchers to
Brighter Tomorrows’ children for a free pair of shoes this
Christmas.
“A striking number of children don’t have shoes that fit.
Studies show that properly fitting shoes can enhance
self-confidence in children and aid in their proper
development and growth.
Across the globe, it continues to be difficult for struggling
families to cover basic needs, making the holidays a time
of stress instead of celebration with family.” (Payless
Gives).

Thank you, Payless.
We and our youngest clients appreciate you.

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~ TMG DAY OF CARING ~

OUTDOOR LANDSCAPING AT BRIGHTER TOMORROWS
2010 TMG Planning & Finance United Way
Day of Caring

TMG Planning/Finance At Work

• Mission: Outdoor Landscaping Project to support Brighter
Tomorrows, an agency that empowers victims of domestic
violence by providing safe shelter and support services
• Location: Irving, TX
• Date: October 29th, noon-4pm
• Volunteers : 22 employees (40% of total staff)
• Donations: Over 35 tools/supplies were provided by the
team, in addition to funding which covered ~50% of total cost
(the rest generously donated by TMG Management)